Pixion Releases PictureTalk 3.0, Easiest, Most Flexible Presentation Technology on the Web
PLEASANTON, CA, December 1, 2000 – Pixion has released PictureTalk Enterprise Conference Server 3.0, the easiest and most flexible cross-platform solution for conducting meetings and presentations on the Web.
With PictureTalk 3.0, a person who wants to attend a meeting can simply click on his or her Web browser to watch a presentation or join a discussion. No prior set-up is required.
Persons making a presentation or contributing to a discussion can download and install the required software in minutes, said Robert Boese, Pixion general manager. From its start in 1995, the PictureTalk product has worked seamlessly on any Windows, Macintosh or Unix platform. Development of a Linux version is under way.
"We have the most flexible and easiest-to-use solution on the market," said Boese. "Attendees simply go to the designated Web page and click on the meeting they want to join. All they need is a Web browser and a telephone."
PictureTalk can be used for one-to-one communication or for presentations to thousands of participants. Any application or file on the presenter's computer desktop can be shown to multiple viewers in an unlimited number of locations. Pixion's patent-pending technology conveys imagery over networks in real time, continuously adapting the compression rates to suit the performance of individual systems. The result is that participants with slow Internet connections do not limit the speed of the overall presentation.
- Among the new features of PictureTalk 3.0 are the following:
- "Record and playback," which allows participants to record a meeting and play it back at a later time.
- Cluster management technology that links a number of servers so there is no restriction on the number of attendees.
- An improved firewall connection that detects firewall settings and automatically makes the adjustments needed to ensure connection. "Snap to" feature that allows presenters to quickly and easily select the window they wish to present.
- Voice-over IP technology, licensed from Lucent Technologies, Inc., that allows users to talk over the Internet.
- An improved Java applet that makes it possible to attend meetings instantly without downloading software.
Since PictureTalk's introduction, Boese said, it has been highly popular for sales and marketing presentations and distance learning applications. In recent months, advertising agencies, financial institutions and call centers have been adopting the technology on a wide-scale basis.
Overall, the market for audio, video and data conferencing has been estimated at $6.2 billion worldwide by 2003, Boese said, citing studies by International Data Corporation and Forrester Research. "Our solution best combines the simplicity of the Web with innovative technology. Communicating through PictureTalk is both affordable and effective."
Access and pricing for PictureTalk can be customized, depending on whether users need an enterprise license for an entire company or occasional access through an application service provider, Boese said. "Businesses making frequent presentations will probably want an enterprise license, while others may prefer a pay-as-you-go model, using our servers to host their meetings.
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